The invention relates to a system for handling photosensitive material.
A digital imaging system is known, for example, from the European Patent Application 0 500 277. In this system, images are recorded on sheet film by means of a laser. The exposure and subsequent development of the film are controlled in dependence upon the film parameters. To this end, the packaging for the film is provided with a bar code containing data such as the sensitivity of the film, the film format, etc. When the packaging is opened, the bar code is read and the imaging system operated in accordance with the data stored in the code.
A drawback is that the bar code is fixed on the packaging. Accordingly, it is not suitable for packaging which is removed from the film completely, e.g., packaging such as disclosed in the European Patent Application 0 313 686. With packaging of this type, the bar code is likewise removed from the film and thereafter is no longer readable.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,656, it is known to expose a bar code directly onto sheets of x-ray film. The data stored in the bar code is then used for processing of the film. This system has the drawback that the bar code covers a usable area of the film. Such area is then no longer available for an image.